Piercing Guide

Anti-brow Piercing

A piercing through the skin beneath the eye opposite the eyebrow

Anti-Tragus Piercing

A piercing through the cartilage of the ear opposite the tragus, the small flap of cartilage closest to your face)

Argyria

A skin discoloration caused by the absorption of metal into the skin from piercing Jewellery

Aspiration

When an object becomes lodged in your lung on inhalation. This can happen if your oral piercing Jewellery comes loose and you inhale at the wrong moment. Be sure that you check the tightness of your mouth Jewellery once or twice a day.

Autoclave

A device used to sterilize equipment used in piercing. If your piercing studio doesn't have one, find another place to get pierced.

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Bananabell

A curved barbell that is especially well suited as navel Jewellery

Barbell

A piece of body Jewellery that has a shaft with a ball on each end

Belly Button Piercing

A piercing through the top flap of skin around a navel

Belly Button Ring

A piece of Jewellery worn in the navel. Typically a curved bananabell and 14 gauge.

Blowout

When the skin of a piercing builds up during healing, causing it to push out at the other side of the piercing

Body Jewellery Pliers

Two types of pliers designed to open and close a captive bead ring without damaging your body piercing or body jewelry.

Bridge Piercing

Also called Earle Piercing. A piercing that passes horizontally through the bridge of the nose.

Bull Ring

A circular barbell that is shaped like a U with a ball at each end. It is typically used with a septum piercing.

Bump

"The Bump" A small red or white bump next to one of the holes of a body piercing. Typically nostril and nipple piercings.

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Caliper

Tool that measures the diameter of a ring such as a captive bead ring.

Captive Bead Ring

A circle with a bead to connect the ring together. Also known as "captured bead ring".

Cartilage

A tough connective tissue in the body that is found in the ear and the nose, among other places in the body

Cartilage Piercing

This piercing takes place on the cartilage of the ear the area of the ear other than the traditional ear lobe piercing. Typical cartilage piercings include tragus, anti-tragus, rook, conch, industrial and helix.

Celluilitis

A systemic infection that is characterized by redness and sensitivity at the site where it starts, such as the piercing site. Cellulitis can spread very quickly and be difficult to heal properly.

Cheek Piercing

Usually placed in the cheek where a dimple

Chin Piercing

A chin piercing is an unusual surface piercing through the flesh of the chin. It does not pass inside the mouth at all (like a labret does), but instead exits below the chin. Occasionally the piercing is done horizontally, but vertically is the most common�and easiest to heal�placement.

Chin Stud

A labret - a straight shaft with a flat disc on the end meant to be inside the mouth and a ball on the outside

Chondritis

Bacterial infection of the cartilage

Circular Barbell

A bull ring - a semi-circular piece of Jewellery that does not close completely and has a ball at either end

Clamp

Used to hold skin taut and support it during a piercing

Clavicle Piercing

A piercing that runs beneath the collarbone

Cleavage Piercing

This piercing is a surface piercing placed in the center of the chest either vertically or horizontally.

Conch

A piercing at the inner cartilage of the ear

Crawford Piercing

Also called a Monroe or a Madonna piercing, placed just above the upper lip to one side or the other.

Curved Barbell

A curved barbell is a slightly bent shaft with a ball at each end.

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Daith Piercing

A body piercing that is placed in the cartilage part of the ear that protrudes out of your inner conch.

Dangles

A curved barbell that holds hanging ornaments like beads or gems or fine chains.

Dental Acrylic Body Jewellery

Also known as acrylic body Jewellery and uv body jewelry, it is made with an acrylic used in dental work to help avoid wear on your teeth

Dermal Punch

This is a piercing tool that removes a round area of skin

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Ear Lobe Transverse Piercing

This piercing is placed along the length of the ear lobe (right angle to traditional ear lobe piercings)

Ear Tragus Piercing

This piercing is placed on the small flap of cartilage most forward of the ear, near the cheek bone.

Earle Piercing

A horizontal facial piercing on the bridge of the nose

Earlobe Piercing

The soft lower part of the ear that does not contain any cartilage.

Expander

A long, cylindrical piece of body jewellery that is larger on one end and is used to stretch a hole for larger gauge jewellery

Externally Threaded Body Jewellery

The threading - the ridges that you screw the ball onto - are located on the outside of the shaft. Most piercers prefer internal threading for oral or facial jewelry because the smooth shaft is less likely to injure tissues.

Eyebrow Piercing

A piercing placed along the eyebrow at a right angle to the brow.

Eyelet

An eyelet is a hollow cylinder that is usually placed in large gauge or stretched ear piercings.

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Gauge

The measurement of body Jewellery relating to the shafts thickness.

Glass

Variously colored, hard, brittle, and transparent element.

Gold

Easily molded rare metal that won't tarnish. Typically mixed with alloys to produce colors and durability. Gold used in body piercing should be at least 18 karat

Helix Piercing

The folded rim of skin and cartilage around most of the outer ear

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Industrial Piercing

A piercing between two sections of cartilage around the outer ear rim that is designed to hold one piece of Jewellery through two or more holes.

Inner Conch Piercing

This piercing is placed in the cartilage, at the inner area of the ear.

Innie Piercing

another term for a navel piercing

Internal Diameter

The measurement of body Jewellery which is the distance from one ball to the other or in the case of a captive bead ring the circles diameter.

Internally Threaded Body Jewellery

Body Jewellery that has threading inside the shaft to protect skin and tissue from damage from the edges of the threading

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Jungle Piercing

A vertical piercing that enters the septum and exits through the underside center of the nose in between the nostrils. It is necessary to already have a pierced and stretched septum in order to do this type of piercing.

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Keloid Scarring

An excessive buildup of scar tissue around a wound.

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Labret

A piece of body Jewellery that has a straight shaft with a flat disc on one end and a ball on the other typical used for a chin piercing or other piercings with the end inside the mouth

Labret Piercing

The labret is a piercing just under the bottom lip and direct center

Lip Piercing

A piercing through the upper or lower lip

Lowbret Piercing

A lowbret is a labret placed as absolutely low as possible inside the lip. It still comes out parallel to the ground like a labret, but since it's placed so much lower, it is a VERY different piercing. Many people find this piercing quite physically uncomfortable.

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Madonna

Also called a Crawford or a Monroe piercing, placed just above the upper lip to one side or the other

Medusa

This facial piercing is placed in the middle and above the upper lip, below the nose.

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Migration

Rejection of your body Jewellery by your body. The Jewellery is pushed outward as skin heals behind it.

Monroe

Also called a Crawford or a Madonna piercing, placed just above the upper lip to one side or the other.

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Nape

A nape is a surface piercing on the back of the neck, known as the nap of the neck.

Nasal Tip Piercing

The "rhino" or nasal tip piercing travels from the inside front of the nostril and then travels toward the center and out the tip.

Nasallang

A industrial piercing for the nose. It starts outside one nostril, goes through the septum and exits through the outside of the other nostril.

Navel

The indentation in the middle of the stomach or abdomen.

Navel Drop

A type of navel Jewellery that has beads, chains or other ornaments dangling from one end of a curved barbell

Nickel

A metal that is often combined with stainless steel to strengthen and prevent corrosion. There should be very little nickel in body Jewellery because of the chance of allergic reactions.

Niobium

Shiny soft and bendable element used to make colored body Jewellery.

Nipple Piercing

A piercing through the areola of the nipple

Nose Bridge Piercing

Piercing through the skin at the bridge of the nose

Nostril Piercing

A piercing at the outer edge of the nostril

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Oral Body Piercing

Any piercing that goes into the mouth, including cheek, lip, labret, chin, Monroe and others that pierce into the mouth.

Outer Conch Piercing

A piercing between the outer edge of the cartilage around the ear and the inner area of the ear

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Piercing Gun

A device that is used to puncture body Jewellery through the skin of the ear lobe. A piercing gun should never be used on any other part of the body than the ear lobe.

Piercing Needle

A hollow needle designed to pierce an oval hole through skin for the placement of body Jewellery.

PTFE

Polytetrafluoroethylene is more familiarly known as Teflon. It is used to make flexible, non-stick body Jewellery that is especially recommended as a replacement for metal Jewellery during pregnancy

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Rejection

Your body may reject the your piercing by forcing the body Jewellery out through your skin.

Retainer

A piece of body Jewellery that is usually made of clear or skin toned acrylic. It's designed to keep your body piercing open without calling attention to it.

Rook Piercing

A piercing through the upper part of the inner conch of the ear

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Septum Piercing

This piercing passes through the septum. The septum is the inside bottom part of your nose that separates your nostrils from each other.

Smiley

This piercing passes through the fold of skin located in the middle of the upper gum inside of the upper lip.

Snake Bite Piercing

A term used to refer to two lip piercings on either side of the lower lip.

Snug Piercing

A piercing that passes from the inner conch of the ear to the outer conch

Spirals

Spirals are body jewelry that are typically used in belly button piercings

Stainless Steel

also known as lvm 316, surgical stainless steel and surgical steel. A metal that contains at least 8% nickel to make it corrosion free and hypoallergenic

Straight Barbell

A straight shaft with a ball on each end used in body piercings

Stretcher

A long, cylindrical piece of body jewellery that is larger on one end and is used to stretch a hole for larger gauge jewellery

Surface Bar

A surface bar looks like the shape of a staple with two screw on ends and is made to fit its anatomical placement.

Surface Piercing

A piercing that is placed almost anywhere on the body through a flat area of skin

Surgical Stainless Steel

also known as lvm 316, stainless steel and surgical steel. A metal that contains at least 8% nickel to make it corrosion free and hypoallergenic

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Taper

A long, cylindrical piece of body jewellery that is larger on one end and is used to stretch a hole for larger gauge jewellery

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Thrush

Also called candidaisis, a yeast infection of the mouth or oral cavity

Titanium

A metallic element that is stronger and lighter than steel and is often used to make body Jewellery

Tongue Piercing

This piercing is typically placed towards the front and center of the tongue.

Tongue Rim Piercing

This type of piercing is placed on the outer edges of the tongue.

Tragus Piercing

A piercing through the tragus, the flap of cartilage at the part of your ear closest to your face and cheekbone

Tunnel

A hollow piece of Jewellery similar to an eyelet.

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Ultra Violet Body Jewellery

UV body Jewellery is a strong transparent light weight, heat and cold resistant plastic used especially in oral body piercings.

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